Lean On Me

CHAPTER 7 - A Different Kind Of Love

4 pm, Trion Tower

"Tell me about it!" Jen just agreed with what Gary said.

"Ayu was... There that Ayu held me back from inviting those two gorgeous guys then eventually gave in after hearing out that they were volunteering."

Jen and Gary were in the kitchen when Ayu came back from the convenience store.

"Girl, we do not even know those two." Ayu was pouting when she took the soju bottle out of the bag.

"Ahhhh! Cold! You silly girl!" Jen screamed in surprise. She rubbed her triceps as if burned by the coldness of the bottle.

"Why were you still blabbering about me when you eventually got Ned's number?" Ayu was laughing at her and raised the soju in defense when Jen raised her arms to hit her.

"I know. I know." Gary chimed in teasing.

"You! You are agreeing?" Jen and Ayu said in a chorus.

He just raised both his shoulder innocently.

"How are the side dishes?" Ayu asked them. Her stomach growling.

"Mademoiselle, no need to worry. We got the most from the supermarket. Sweet and sour radish, kimchi, and braised potatoes. We're just going to stir fry some of these green vegetables." Gary is not a chef, but he loves cooking.

"We also have..." Jen showed Ayu a platter of red sauce with rice cakes. Ayu's mouth just became watery.

Ayu reached out for it but Jen caught her arm in the nick of time.

"Hey. Later." Jen said.

"My tteokbokki!" Ayu showed her cutest expression.

"Do you still remember Benjie when you eat tteokbokki?" Jen playfully asked her.

Ayu tensed up and got annoyed. She suddenly bit Jen's left forearm.

"You crazy dog! You have not changed a bit!" She put down the platter and took a pillow from the sofa. She ran after Ayu. Using all her might, hit Ayu with it. "Do not start with me else you will wake up with half your hair gone!"

There was a sleepover at Ayu's house in Makati when they were fourteen. They were together the whole day and fought over something. Ayu could not remember what it was she was so mad about, so she bit Jen. Jen does not know how she suppressed all the pain because she did not cry that night. Ayu knew that Jen wanted to go home and probably, tell Ayu's parents about the crime, but it was late already at night. They eventually fell asleep. The next morning, Ayu woke up half of her black mane gone. It was crazy!

Those were the time before the car accident. The time before Ayu's parents become estranged from each other and her from them.

At night, the trio had samgyupsal dinner.

"Ayu. Did you not hear anything from Benjie when you left?" Gary sincerely asked her. Jen poured Ayu soju.

"Naa! We were crazy with each other back in college. After the incident at our graduation party, I cut off every connection with him."

"Is that the reason why you left after graduation and went with your parents to Europe? The whole class knows that you both got accepted to a big energy company." Jen asked Ayu.

"It's time to explain everything to these two. I never really gave both a proper answer." Ayu told herself that it is unfair to hide things from them. To two of her treasured people.

"I would lie to you both if I will not say that it's not the reason. But it was not entirely it. I'm sure you knew about my parents not getting along that time. I think I have not seen my dad for a year until our graduation. He was barely talking to my mom and only calls when something came up with my health. Mom still goes back and forth to Europe at that time. Once, I heard that their bad relationship went up to court after court. They hid everything from me. Later on, a few days before the graduation day, I learned about it. My heart was in a knot. I tried to look for Benjie that night at the party. That was when I saw him kissing Karen at the bar."

Gary took my free hand. Jen touched my left cheek.

"We should also come clean to you." Gary looked at Jen and nodded as if asking for her permission.

It must not be easy to say regarding Gary's action. Ayu breathed in and nodded.

"Hold it, babe. Let me." Jen told Gary. Everyone tensed up.

Jen took both of Ayu's hands and looked her in the eye. "The thing with Benjie was all my fault."

Ayu was confused. Her expression was urging Jen to explain.

Jen was now holding Ayu's hand firmly. "I introduced Karen to Benjie. She was one of those girls I met at a yoga class. I gave her Benjie's number because she was asking for someone who could help him with the school campaign. She also gave me a description of him. I thought Benjie could help her with it. I had no idea she has a different intention." Jen was still looking at Ayu. They were both teary-eyed.

Ayu breathed out. She just noticed that she was holding her breath. "Hey. It was a long time ago. And it was not your fault. He made a choice." Ayu encouraged Jen to cheer up and forget about the incident.

"We also saw that incident at the bar. We both knew that you had no plans to go to the party, so we did not call you that night. But..." Gary stopped talking.

"but instead of calling you, Gary punched him on the face," Jen interjected.

"What?" Ayu's eyes grew in surprise. "You punched who?" She could not imagine Gary doing something brutal. He may raise his hand to slap someone jokingly but not hurt someone that way. This time, Ayu let go of her tears.

"I did not know that I had that capacity. All my male hormones went up to my head and knuckle. He deserved it." Gary said and poured Ayu another glass of soju. "Drink!"

Ayu looked at both of her friends lovingly while trying to stop crying.

It is a good thing to see both of her friends, she thought. They were like her chains whenever she wanted to fly and hide from all the bad things around her. She suddenly recalled all their good and bad memories together.

"The next day, we tried to find you, but your housekeeper said you did not go home. We looked for you here, but no one opened the door. Your phone was off for many hours." Jen was desperately explaining all the events that happened after the heart-breaking scene that Ayu witnessed that night.

"Do you know what's more annoying? We both ran out of cash because we were looking for you. And you did not remember to call us until after a week." Gary's looked at Ayu with menacing eyes as if she owes him with the losses.

Ayu giggled now.

"After that incident at the party, I called my mom to book me a ticket to where she was. I stayed at a surf campsite in Real Quezon for a week. I surfed and binged eat. Then, I went back to Manila when I heard about my flight booked already." Ayu told them straightly but still feeling sorry for the two.

"Did you know that you're a stubborn girl?" Jen asked Ayu with a sad face while putting eggrolls on her plate. Friendship has ups and downs. "We felt bad. Then, Gary and I did not talk for many months."

I grinned at them. "I'm sorry!" This time Ayu poured soju to their glasses. "To hell with Benjie." And they clinked glasses.

"Enough with all this drama. I know that despite all the bad things that happened, I have you two with me. Always caring and loving at a distance. I'm sorry for not calling you guys. When I realized that burying myself in my work will only bring me loneliness, that's when I remember I have you both. I remembered our beautiful memories even here in my flat, our little quarrels, and late-night trips even to the Roxas Baywalk to get over Gary's first love."

This time, he hit Ayu's forehead with a spoon. "Why do you have to mention that?"

"Aww!" Ayu pouted and touched the area where Gary hit her. Everyone laughed except Ayu. Her hair got some red sauce now.

Ayu knew that this is what gave her the courage to go back to the Philippines. True love shows this kind of warmth. First, from Pam and then, these two. Ayu knew that they will always be there to care. The past six years tested their friendship. They could have forgotten about the little things they know of each other that did not happen. The distance was never a limit when loving someone when loving a friend.